New Yanmars for Black Cat Group

THE BLACK CAT Group is progressively repowering its fleet with Yanmar marine diesel engines. The latest repower is their flagship boat, Black Cat.

The company has committed to reducing its energy consumption by 1% per year. Paul Milligan, chief executive officer at Black Cat Cruises, says the decision to re-power with Yanmar was driven by environmental issues.

Black Cat was slipped at Lyttelton. Its two Yanmar 6KY engines were removed and replaced with a pair of Yanmar 6HYM-WET engines, after considerable research. Yanmar’s 6HYM-WET model includes Yanmar’s latest combustion chamber design, named ASSIGN, pioneered by Yanmar on its large bore, low-speed propulsion engines.

The Yanmar 6HYM-WET is a 700hp twin-turbo commercial model suited to extended periods of full throttle operation. Much of Black Cat’s work on eco-cruises with dolphin watching is at idle, but she heads back to Akaroa Harbour on the plane at a comfortable speed. On sea trials the new engines driving through ZF 360 transmissions reached peak revs of 2200rpm for a hull speed of 28.4 knots. She cruised at 21 knots at an economical 1800rpm. The refit included a new MASE 2000T generator set powered by a Yanmar 4TNV engine.

Power Equipment is the exclusive Australian, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea and South Pacific Distributor of Yanmar marine and industrial diesel engines, JCB Dieselmax, MASE diesel marine generators, Gori high quality folding sailboat propellers, PSS Shaft Seals, and Northern Lights Gen Sets. Power Equipment Ltd NZ 09 358 7478